RELATIVES of a murdered Englishman are to travel to Ireland after they were finally traced by gardai.

The family of John Forrester (42) -- whose body was recovered from the River Bandon in Cork last Tuesday -- were located yesterday by gardai and Lancashire/Lincolnshire police.

Relatives were contacted in Blackpool and Lincoln and they confirmed that the remains recovered were those of Mr Forrester.

The 42 year old -- who suffered from a serious alcohol problem -- had been living a transient lifestyle for almost 20 years which made tracing his family extremely difficult.

A garda family liaison officer has now been appointed and it is expected that family members will travel to west Cork to arrange the return of Mr Forrester's body to England.

Mr Forrester -- known locally as 'Johnny English' -- was recovered from the river a kilometre downstream of Bandon bridge. His hands and feet had been tied and he was wrapped in a rug in a bid to weigh his body down.

He died from a frenzied attack in which he suffered serious stab wounds to the face and neck.

Gardai are treating his death as murder and last night again appealed for anyone who spotted suspicious activity in Bandon town centre or near the Bridge House flats complex between 9pm last Saturday and 12 midnight on Sunday to contact them.

Meanwhile, hundreds defied heavy rain last night to gather at the family home of Jonathan Duke (27) -- known locally as 'Dukey' -- whose body was recovered from the River Bandon 36 hours before that of Mr Forrester.

Mourners

The mourners included Mr Duke's only daughter, Angel (9).

Mr Duke will be buried after 12 noon Requiem Mass in St Patrick's Church in Bandon today.

The young man's body was recovered by gardai from underneath Bandon bridge in the early hours of last Monday morning after it had become trapped on wooden debris.